'Never apologize for a win' says Riders' coach after victory

The Riders' boss wasn't about to say sorry after watching his team win something for the first time in almost two months.

For the most part, Sunday's 26-23 overtime decision over the Eskimos was really tough to watch. It certainly wasn't going to winthe TV ratings battle with the NFL.

But a win is a win for Chris Jones.

"It's been a long time coming. Those guys in that room in there are well deserving of that win and it certainly wasn't pretty but we'll never apologize for a win."

Sunday's game had everything typical of the Riders' season in a nutshell. Costly dumb penalties and strange decisions.

But the way the Riders celebrated after Durant's walk-off touchdown, it was like the 2013 Grey Cup all over again.

Durant says they've suffered enough heartbreaking losses this year, the celebration was long overdue.

"You know when you win one, you win a tight one, a tough one, when it tests everything you have, you know you have to let off some type of celebration, so I'm just happy for everybody." said Durant who ran for 61 yards against the Eskimos.

With a 70 click breeze controlling the play, Durant called it one of the toughest wind days he's had in his career, but even the elements couldn't stop Durant on a mission.

Nobody but the Riders' quarterback was getting a hand on the ball when a victory was in reach.

His sixyard touchdown in overtime gave the Riders, not just their first victory in 8 games, but it was also the first victory Durant has been part of since the Banjo Bowl game of 2014.

Yes that's right, 2014!

And nobody needed to remind Durant of that fact, though it seemed he needed to remind everyone else of his resume.

"In my heart, and my teammates' eyes, I will always be a winner. Tough times define me and who I am and my career. Of course I thought about the fact that I hadn't won a game this year, that crossed my mind
but just given the circumstances, all the changes that this team is facing, we knew it wouldn't be an easy season."

Durant is still, for the record, clinging to their playoff chances, as paper thin as they are, but privately he has to be thinking beyond 2016.

He's a 34 year old quarterback of declining stock whose contract with the Riders will expire this winter.

There's been a lot of chatter over the last few weeks on what direction the organization should take when they move into the new stadium in 2017.

Do the new look Riders stick with an aging quarterback, or start fresh?

The last deal Durant signed was worthy of a top tier quarterback.Todayhe's somewhere in the middle.

Mitchell, Reilly, Harris and Collaros are now the elite, with Nichols and Jennings on the rise.

Durant, you can argue, is still in the top sixor seven, so question to Riders' management.

If you are even considering not entering serious negotiations on a contract extension with Durant sometime between now and February, who do you think is out there that's better and available?

Anybody else would be a work in progress and I don't think Rider nation will have the patience for another stinker of a season, even with a shiny new stadium.

Durant is likely wondering that himself, but he's not sharing what he's thinking with too many people.

"It's really out of my hands, all I can do is just play football and hope for the best."

Over the last few years, another elderly quarterback, Kevin Glenn finally came to grips with his lot in life. The 37 year old was never again going to be the guy a franchise turns to to lead them into the future.

He's just content to help out.

I asked Durant last week, after Glenn was traded to Winnipeg, if he could see himself being some team's insurance policy. He said he loves football so much he probably could.

Just not today. And yesterday, Durant turned some heads.

"When that confident Darian Durant shows up he's as tough as anybody." said Chris Jones after Sunday's win.

Sunday's post-game conference with the coach was the most I've ever heard Jones speak of Durant in glowing terms.

In fact he never really speaks of his number one quarterback, which is why so many outsiders believe he will hand the ball to someone else when they move down the street after this season.

But he spoke of Durant on Sunday, the way he often speaks of the Grey Cup winning quarterback he had in Edmonton, Mike Reilly.

"So many times when I've been here before or played against Darian, that's what made him so dangerous. You could pressure him or you could try and go coverage and then he had the ability to takeoff
and had the willingness to run for first downs it's frustrating as a defensive playcaller I know that for sure. He gave us that element tonight (Sunday) and when we really needed it there at the end he showed up."

Rider notes:

Tip of the hat to some outstanding performances on Sunday.Curtis Steele's return to the lineup provided a balanced offence. Imagine a running game. Go figure.

Receiver Armanti Edwards, filling in for the injured Naaman Roosevelt. He won't threaten any receiving records, but he came through with a game tying touchdown late in the 4th quarter.

And defensive backs Justin Cox and Ed Gainey who did a nice jobcovering the best receivers in the league, Adarius Bowman and DerrelWalker.

Special kudos forGainey who just two weeks ago was punching doors in the locker room, he was so angry over his play against the Bombers in the LDC.

He was shaking as he tried to compose himself while fending questions from reporters that day.

On Sunday, the Riders' defensive back was all smiles after a couple knockdowns and a touchdown after stripping the ball from Bowman.

"I've been wanting to do that all season, just to be able to do that in front of the home crowd, I'm speechless, I'm very emotional right now."

The Riders host Hamilton this Saturday night.